Even though only a small percentage of people use heroin — or knows someone who does — the drug’s impacts are widespread, according to law enforcement and health officials.

Heroin, they said, is to blame for an increase in drug-related deaths, a higher crime rate and an overall drop in Middletown’s collective health.

In the last three years, heroin has become the drug of choice in Middletown, said Sgt. David Birk of the Middletown Division of Police. It has replaced prescription medications such as Oxycodin because of its low price and easy availability. A capsule of heroin, about 1/10th of a gram, costs only $10, a fraction of the cost of prescription medications, he said.

As heroin abuse has risen, thefts also have dramatically increased in the city, he said. There were 514 theft offenses in the city in 2011 and 559 last year, an increase of 9 percent. Birk said most of those thefts — air conditioners, copper, TVs, you name it — can be traced to an addicts’ appetite for heroin.

“The drugs take over,” Birk said, “and people will do anything to get it.”

For instance, a mother and father recently bailed their son out of jail. Two days later, he stole a television from them to support his habit.

Birk said there were 234 felony arrests in the city in 2011 and 305 for the first 10 months in 2012, and 90 percent of them were heroin related.

The department issued 34 drug search warrants in 2011 and 86 in 2012, an increase of 149 percent, he said. He said 80 percent of those were for heroin.

Heroin use is increasing all over the country, and is a local problem in Middletown, said Forest Clayton, program director for the Coalition for a Healthy Middletown.

“Everybody is affected by it,” Clayton said of the surge in heroin abuse.

In response to this “epidemic,” the group is hosting a community forum Tuesday, he said. Representatives from the community will discuss how the rise of heroin is affecting city. Residents also will be able to share their concerns and ideas of how community members can work together to develop ways to fight the problem.

Jackie Phillips, city health commissioner, said she’s seeing an increase in Hepatitis B, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV, all trends tied to heroin use. She said people are sharing needles and others are turning to prostitution to support their drug habit.

She said heroin use “is all around.”

Clayton said heroin is powerful because “all it takes is one time” to become addicted.

He said sometimes people become addicted to painkillers, then they turn to heroin because it’s easier and cheaper to obtain.

The percentage of people who are admitted for addiction treatment with heroin being their primary drug has risen from 11 percent in 2008 to 23.8 percent last year, according to the Butler County Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Board. During the same time, cocaine and crack cocaine dropped from 17 percent to 5.2 percent.

Sometimes, those addictions become deadly.

Through March, there have been 15 deaths, five per month, in which heroin was the cause of death, according to the Butler County Coroner’s Office. That number probably will rise because there are several deaths where the cause of death hasn’t been ruled, but heroin was found in their system, the office said.

In 2012, the coroner’s office ruled 49 deaths from toxicity of heroin.

Warren County Coroner’s Office is reporting the same trend. There were seven deaths caused by heroin in 2012, and four more where the deceased had heroin in their system, the coroner’s office said. For the first three months this year, there have been four heroin deaths.

Yvonne Howard Ewers’ life changed on March 21 when her phone rang and she was told her son, Donnie Howard, 38, of Middletown, had died from a heroin overdose.

“I would not want to see anybody else go through this,” she said from her Jacksonville, Fla., home. “It was horrible, the worst nightmare of my life. I literally have no answers.”

She had no idea her son had a drug problem. She has learned that he just started using drugs and when it came to heroin, he was inexperienced. He wasn’t “a thug on the street,” she said.

She has custody of her two grandchildren, 17 and 14, who still don’t understand how their father died. She is going through therapy to help with the loss of her son.

“He had everybody fooled and we never knew,” she said. “It was a secret.”

Community forum

What: Heroin forum presented by Coalition for a Healthy Middletown

When: 6 p.m. Tuesday

Where: Miami University Middletown, community room

There will be representatives from several agencies there to discuss heroin and the impact it’s having on Middletown.

Arrests rising

The number of heroin related arrests in the Butler County Sheriff’s Office has steadily increased over the years, after a drop in 2010.

If not for the Narcan the squad administers, the death toll would be unbelievable.

From MJ:

Man overdoses in hospital restroom

A Middletown man who was at Atrium Medical Center for treatment allegedly used heroin in the hospital’s restroom on Aug. 18, according to Middletown police.

Justin Frazier, 35, of Shaker Road, was charged with drug abuse instruments and drug abuse paraphernalia, according to police.

The hospital’s campus police told Middletown police that they found a needle, plastic spoon and rubberband on the sink in front of where Frazier had dropped to the ground.

When police arrived, the hospital’s emergency room personnel were working on Frazier, who was unresponsive, according to the police report. The nurses gave him narcan, and he responded. Frazier admitted to police that the syringe and spoon were his and he had watered down the heroin rather than cook it because he only had a plastic spoon. RICK MCCRABB

So we take the Narcan off the squads and the crime rate decreases as these fools who choose to abuse these drugs are taken out of circulation. Seems like a win-win. And please, no bleeding heart "drug addiction is a disease" crap-these people KNOW these drugs are dangerous the first time they use them. They make a decision-let them live (or not) with it.

So we take the Narcan off the squads and the crime rate decreases as these fools who choose to abuse these drugs are taken out of circulation. Seems like a win-win. And please, no bleeding heart "drug addiction is a disease" crap-these people KNOW these drugs are dangerous the first time they use them. They make a decision-let them live (or not) with it.

BINGO!!!!!

I LIKE IT FMRMIDE81! ENOUGH OF THE "KINDER/GENTLER" TOWARD PEOPLE WHO ARE INTENT ON AND MAKE THE CHOICE TO DESTROY THEMSELVES WHILE THE SERVICES SECTOR OF SOCIETY TRIES TO KEEP THEM ALIVE. USERS ARE FREE TO MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS. LET THEM HAVE THE FREEDOM TO DEAL WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF THOSE DECISIONS ON THEIR OWN.

AT BEST, GIVE THEM A SUPPLY OF NARCAN WITH A SIGN SAYING "USE TO RECESSITATE" TO ANYONE WHO COMES ALONG, WHEN THEY PASS OUT. NO NEED TO TROUBLE THE MEDICAL PERSONNEL. THEY HAVE ENOUGH TO DO TAKING CARE OF THE FOLKS WITH LEGITIMATE MEDICAL ISSUES.

THE POLICE BRIEFS OVERFLOW WITH DRUG RESPONSES IN THIS CITY. TIME TO FOCUS THE RESOURCES ELSEWHERE TO PEOPLE THAT MATTER. TOO MUCH TIME CATERING TO PEOPLE IN SOCIETY THAT CHOOSE TO CAUSE PROBLEMS.

MANDATORY DRUG REHAB FOR FIRST TIME USER OFFENDERS/MANDATORY PRISON TIME FOR SECOND OFFENSE. MANDATORY LIFE SENTENCES FOR FIRST TIME DRUG DEALERS. GOTTA MAKE THE RISK MORE DEVASTATING THAN THE CRIME. IF THE JUDGES ARE SOFT, THEY NEED NOT SIT BEHIND THE BENCH. WON'T HAPPEN THOUGH. SOCIETY IS TOO KIND AND FORGIVING.

I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.

Pick an island in the middle of an ocean and build some shelters for them put them all on the island after a few attempts to rehab them air lift food to them and let them sort it out.

BO, YOU HAVE JUST DESCRIBED THE MOVIE "NO ESCAPE" WITH RAY LIOTTA. AFTER ISOLATING THEM, WE WILL SIT BACK AND WATCH THEM CHOOSE SIDES AND ELIMINATE EACH OTHER. WHEN WE SEE HOW SUCCESSFUL THIS PLAN IS, COULD WE FOLLOW-UP USING POLITICIANS IN PLACE OF USERS AND DEALERS? EITHER WAY, NO ONE GETS VOTED OFF THE ISLAND......ALIVE.

I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.

Pick an island in the middle of an ocean and build some shelters for them put them all on the island after a few attempts to rehab them air lift food to them and let them sort it out.

BO, YOU HAVE JUST DESCRIBED THE MOVIE "NO ESCAPE" WITH RAY LIOTTA. AFTER ISOLATING THEM, WE WILL SIT BACK AND WATCH THEM CHOOSE SIDES AND ELIMINATE EACH OTHER. WHEN WE SEE HOW SUCCESSFUL THIS PLAN IS, COULD WE FOLLOW-UP USING POLITICIANS IN PLACE OF USERS AND DEALERS? EITHER WAY, NO ONE GETS VOTED OFF THE ISLAND......ALIVE.

May be better idea to keep the heroin addicts and send the politicians 1st

Middletown vouchers are part of the $95 million in vouchers HUD awarded to 48 states and Puerto Rico. The vouchers will allow 16,460 low-income families to lease or purchase homes or apartment units. All totaled, the twelve housing agencies in Ohio received $3,506,237 for 744 new vouchers today.

HUD's Housing Choice Vouchers Program is the federal government's major initiative that helps low-income families, including the elderly and disabled, afford housing. The HCV Program currently assists 1.8 million families with rent payments. Over the past three years, about 300 families have used their vouchers to become homeowners. Families receiving HUD rental assistance vouchers generally pay 30 percent of their income for rent, with HUD subsidies picking up the remainder.

The vouchers distributed today are called "fair share vouchers" because they are distributed to communities that compete based on the housing needs of low-income families in each state. Only PHAs that demonstrated an ability to use 97 percent of their 2001 vouchers were eligible to compete for the new vouchers.

HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities, creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans, supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development as well as enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet and espanol.hud.gov.

MIDDLETOWN - U.S. Housing and Urban Development Midwest Regional Administrator Antonio R. Riley announced today that HUD is approving a $1 million loan guarantee to the City of Middletown, Ohio to help finance the downtown collaborative revitalization initiative.

The first stage of this initiative is the purchase of vacant buildings to be developed by a for- profit affiliate of Higher Education Partners, limited liability company and leased to Cincinnati State Technical and Community College (CSTCC), which will reuse vacant buildings, provide job related training and increase the number of students downtown to support local businesses.

"A community college renting space in these redevelopment structures downtown will put vacant buildings to very good use. It will also increase retail business and provide job training for residents while creating approximately 34 jobs -- truly a win-win situation for Middletown," said Riley.

Several employers in the Middletown area have committed to sending employees to CSTCC for job related training. Additionally, Cincinnati State Middletown's Work Force Development Center has partnered with over thirty local corporations to both train current employees and provide future job opportunities for new CSTCC graduates.

HUD's Section 108 Loan Guarantee Assistance Program enables local governments to borrow money from private investors at reduced interest rates to promote economic development, stimulate job growth and improve public facilities. Such public investment is often needed to inspire private contributions, to provide seed money, or to simply boost confidence that many private firms and individuals need to invest in distressed areas. It allows them to transform a small portion of their CDBG funds into federally guaranteed loans large enough to pursue physical and economic revitalization projects that can renew entire neighborhoods.

###

HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov. You can also follow HUD on twitter @HUDnews, on facebook at www.facebook.com/HUD, or sign up for news alerts on HUD's News Listserv.

HUD Archives: News Releases

HUD'S OPERATION SAFE HOME STEPS UP EFFORT TO RID BUTLER COUNTY, OHIO, PUBLIC HOUSING OF CRIME, ILLEGAL DRUGS

WASHINGTON -- Housing Secretary Andrew Cuomo today announced that as many as 52 individuals were arrested in Butler County, Ohio, this morning as part of the Department's and Butler County's Operation Safe Home, an intense federal effort to get tough on crime and drugs in public and assisted housing developments.

This morning's actions, carried out after months of undercover investigation, represent the second phase of a stepped up effort to rid Butler County's Metropolitan Housing Authority of illegal drugs, violent criminals and drug dealers.

"We're putting an end to the illegal activities of drug dealers who terrorize public housing developments, and beginning the process of building safe communities," said Cuomo. "The only taxpayer-funded housing that drug dealers are entitled to is a prison cell -- and Operation Safe Home will put them there."

Today's joint operation was carried out by the Hamilton Police Department and HUD Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigators assigned to the Cleveland and Columbus offices. Assisting in the action were the Butler County Prosecutor's Office, Union Township Police Department, Warren County Drug Task Force, New Miami Police Department, and food stamp investigators with the Ohio Department of Public Safety.

"Today's action is the result of the long-term commitment we've made to the Hamilton Police Department and residents of the Butler Metropolitan Housing Authority," said HUD Inspector General Susan Gaffney. "We plan to maintain the presence we established in the area last year and will continue our efforts to make this community safe for every family who calls it home."

The 52 individuals face 182 charges, including 75 counts for trafficking in cocaine; 19 counts for trafficking in a counterfeit controlled substance; three counts for trafficking in drug pharmaceuticals; one count for trafficking in marijuana; two counts for permitting drug abuse; 79 counts for drug abuse; and three counts for trafficking in food stamps.

During phase one of the Butler County operation, which concluded February 2, 1996, 103 people in the cities of Hamilton and Middletown were arrested on 271 counts, including aggravated trafficking in cocaine, trafficking in controlled counterfeit substances, robbery, theft, drug abuse, and trafficking in prescription medication. Twenty-nine of the 103 were juveniles.

Post-enforcement actions, which are funded through a HUD Drug Elimination Grant to the Butler Metropolitan Housing Authority, call for off-duty Hamilton Police officers to patrol the development on foot and create several special youth programs.

"HUD Inspector General Susan Gaffney has a long-term strategy for keeping this community drug free and safe for all who live there," said Cuomo.

Operation Safe Home was established in February 1994 by HUD's OIG, in consultation with the Secretary of HUD and the U.S. Attorney General, to attack and reduce violent crime in public housing.

Ok, So HUD gives out our fed taxpayer money to Middletown to create more low income rentals and increase the plague of poverty in this town, then gives out our money to address the problems created by the low income, drug infested environment that the low income rentals created. Another example of the morons who are qualified to be government employees. Mercy.

And the million bucks to create 34 new jobs? Absurd return on investment and a waste of our money......again. And I'll bet that the jobs are minimum wage ones with no bennies to boot.

Deterrants......

Automatic death sentence to drug dealers the first time apprehended. Kill the source of the drugs getting to the users. Mandatory rehab for a drug user who has committed a crime on the first offense. Second offense- mandatory jail sentence with no opportunity to procure the heroin. Let 'em dry out on their own in jail. No more narcan to bail them out of their situation, and let 'em know it. Too many other medical runs to be bothering with saving people who don't value their own life. They don't care whether they live or die, why should we? Time for society to stop givng a dam about the ones who can't seem to live by the rules like the majority do. Tough? Insensitive? Uncaring? Perhaps. But what about our current situation with apparently no solutions that work? Being kind, gentle and cottling while offering multiple chances to change doesn't work. We see that everyday. JMO

I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.

Horrific images of drug-users eaten alive by flesh-eating illness caused by homemade heroin substitute that has arrived on American shores in Arizona

The first cases of a terrifying new drug called 'Krokodil' that eats flesh from the inside out, is flammable and leaves addicts with reptilian-like skin have been reported this week in Arizona - and the state fears the beginning of an epidemic.

Popular in Russia, Krokodil is homemade, is three-times cheaper than heroin and created by mixing codeine with gasoline or oil, filtering it and then injecting the rancid concoction into the users body.

Banner's Poison Control Center most likely encountered the drug when two addicts arrived in emergency rooms with their flesh hanging off their body, exposing bone or with skin resembling that of a crocodile, hence its name.

Scroll down for video

Effects of Krokodil: This Russian man is suffering the side-effects of Krokodil use - Banner's Poison Control Center in Arizona says the two first cases of people using a drug that can rot flesh have been reported

Reptilian Skin: This man's foot (left) shows symptoms of gangrene and scaliness associated with addiction to Krokodil and another individual's fingers are rotting away (both cases are from Russia)

'We've had two cases this past week that have occurred in Arizona,' said Dr. Frank LoVecchio, the co-

'As far as I know, these are the first cases in the United States that are reported. So we're extremely frightened,' he continued.

Scales: The drug is called Krokodil because it leaves users with scaly skin akin to that of a crocodile

Deadly Compound: Krokodil is made by mixing codeine with gasoline and has a high that is similar to heroin

Continual use of Krokodil causes blood vessels to burst, leaving skin green and scaly among addicts eventually causing gangrene and their flesh to begin to rot.

Rabid use in Russia has caused up to 2.5 million people to register and seek treatment as addicts and the average life span for a user is only two to three years.

'When drug users do it repeatedly, the skin sloughs. It causes hardening of their skin. It will cause necrosis,' explained LoVecchio.

Fears of American Krokodil Epidemic: Dr. Frank LoVecchio at Banner's Poison Control Center says he believes the two cases found in Arizona to be the start of a problem in the United States

LoVechhio says that the two cases he has encountered are most likely linked and he declined to comment on the appearance of the two users.

'Where there is smoke there is fire, and we're afraid there are going to be more and more cases,' said LoVechhio.

Krokodil, The New Meth? Cheap Heroin Substitute Which is the Scourge of Russia

Krokodil's, medical name is desomorphine and is created by mixing codeine with gasoline, paint thinner, hydrochloric acid, iodine and red phosphorous.

There are reportedly nearly three million users in Russia and the epidemic began in Siberia and the Russian Far East.

The drug causes flesh to rot from the inside out and the addict's skin becomes scaly, like a crocodile's, hence the name.

Blood vessels burst and the surrounding tissue dies. Gangrene and amputations are a common result and sometimes bone can be exposed.

The high lasts one hour and a half and the drug is three times cheaper to produce than heroin.

In Russia, Krokodil usage is spreading like a virus among young people and according to a Timemagazine investigation, even those who manage to quit their addiction come away disfigured for life.

Some users in Russia develop brain damage and speech impediments in addition to the horrific scars.

Krokodil, whose medical name is desomorphine, has the same mental effect as heroin but is produced with over-the-counter codeine and mixed with gasoline, paint thinner, hydrochloric acid and even the red phosphorous scraped from the tips of matches.

Prevalent in Siberia and the Russian Far East, the explosion of users began in 2002, but over the past five years in Russia, usage has trebled.

In 2011 alone, Russia's Federal Drug Control Service confiscated 65 million doses.

The flesh rotting that is specific to Krokodil occurs directly at the injection site which could be anywhere from the feet to the forehead to the more traditional arms.

According to Time magazine, 'Gangrene and amputations are a common result, while porous bone tissue, especially in the lower jaw, often starts to dissipate, eaten up by the drug's acidity

You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot create polls in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum